For a lot of content material creators, particularly these working with mirrorless or DSLR cameras, the excessive price and weight of anamorphic lenses could be a important barrier to entry.
However Chinese language lens producer Blazar is seeking to change this dynamic by providing its new Cato 2x sequence of full-frame cine lenses representing a daring step in making high-end cinematic lenses out there to a broader viewers.
Picture Credit score – Blazar
Previewed on the NAB (Nationwide Affiliation of Broadcasters) present in 2024, Blazar’s Cato 2x anamorphic lenses can be found in 4 focal lengths: 40mm, 55mm, 85mm, and 125mm.
What’s significantly hanging concerning the Cato 2 line is that they aren’t solely competitively priced but additionally extremely light-weight, making them the lightest anamorphic cine lenses at the moment out there.
The Cato 2x lenses boast fixed apertures starting from T2 to T4, permitting for glorious gentle management. The 16-bladed iris used within the lenses contributes to a fantastically easy, spherical bokeh that’s usually extremely wanted in cinematography.
This attribute helps to melt out-of-focus areas of the shot, including a dreamy, cinematic high quality to the picture.
As well as, these lenses provide a spotlight rotation of 210°, and the aperture ring rotates between 71.7° and 83.5°, relying on the lens. This design facilitates precision in pulling focus, particularly throughout vital, dynamic pictures.
Picture Credit score – Blazar
The Cato sequence enjoys a 2x anamorphic squeeze issue, which boosts the cinematic widescreen impact that’s on full-frame and large-format cinema platforms, with the lenses masking a picture circle of 28.8x24mm for the 40mm and 55mm lenses and 36 x 24mm for the 85mm and 125mm fashions.
A singular function of the Blazar Cato lenses is their pure silver flare. This impartial flare will be enhanced throughout filming by manipulating gentle sources gentle sources directed towards the lens, providing filmmakers extra inventive management over their pictures.
These lenses additionally show barrel distortion alongside your entire focal vary, just like Blazar’s earlier Remus 1.5x anamorphic lenses, offering a constant visible aesthetic throughout the board.
Picture Credit score – Blazar
Weight is one other necessary facet of the Cato sequence. Weighing between 898 grams and 1020 grams (1.98-2.2 lbs), these are the lightest 2x anamorphic lenses within the market.
This light-weight design permits filmmakers better versatility, whether or not they’re capturing handheld, utilizing gimbals, or incorporating these lenses into rigs just like the DJI Ronin 4D with counterweights for balanced pictures.
Moreover, the Cato lenses have a standardized 85mm entrance diameter, permitting for straightforward attachment of focusing gears, matte bins, and 82mm filters.
Picture Credit score – Blazar
Pricing and availability
Blazar is positioning the Cato 2x sequence as an reasonably priced possibility for creators seeking to elevate their visible storytelling with your entire four-lens set out there with interchangeable EF or PL mounts for a preorder value of $4,599.
Individually, the 55mm, 85mm, and 125mm lenses every retail for $1,299, whereas the 40mm wide-angle mannequin is priced at $1,499. Blazar is about to ship three of the lenses in November 2024, with the 40mm wide-angle lens scheduled for launch in February 2025.
[source: Blazar]
Order Hyperlinks:
BLAZAR LENS CATO 40mm T2.4 Full Body 2x Anamorphic Lens (B&H)
BLAZAR LENS CATO 50mm T2.0 Full Body 2x Anamorphic Lens (B&H)
BLAZAR LENS CATO 85mm T2.8 Full Body 2x Anamorphic Lens (B&H)
BLAZAR LENS CATO 125mm T3.2 Full Body 2x Anamorphic Lens (B&H)
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